Matt's Weather Rapport is written by Vermont-based journalist and weather reporter Matt Sutkoski. This blog has a nationwide and worldwide focus, with particular interest in Vermont and the Northeast. Look to Matt's Weather Rapport for expert analysis of weather events, news, the latest on climate change science, fun stuff, and wild photos and videos of big weather events. Also check for my frequent quick weather updates on Twitter, @mattalltradesb

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

More Tornadoes Spread Death, Destruction Monday. Even More Today

From early afternoon Monday on through most of the night into early Tuesday morning, tornadoes continued to terrorize much of Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Tennessee.

I can't imagine what went through the minds of people when they saw on TV that a massive tornado would hit their house in 10 minutes and they had to take shelter. What did they think knowing everything they own would be gone in 10 minutes?

The power of tornadoes is incredible. These twisters prove the point. The tornado that hit Tupulo, Mississippi lofted debris from destroyed buildings 25,000 feet into the air.

A door fell from the sky and landed on the Mississippi State University campus, from a tornado that was passing by 30 miles to the south.

Another terrifying storm in Mississippi Monday.

Incredible.

There were a few turns of good fortune, or at least relatively good fortune. A massive tornado threatened Tuscaloosa, Alabama last night. That city was devastated by a huge tornado exactly three years and one day earlier. This time, the huge tornado missed the heart of the city.

A massive tornado late last night was aimed at the heart of Birmingham, Alabama, and it appeared hundreds of people could die since it was heading toward a very populated area late at night, when people were asleep and unaware.

A huge tornado in Louisville Mississippi on Monday

It's unclear whether the massive supercells eventually stabilized the atmosphere enough to prevent a total repeat of Monday, but it's clear the area will have at least some tornadoes today.

Flooding is a problem, too, as torrential rains from these thunderstorms are dropping inches of rain. So people whose homes were untouched by tornadoes might still see their homes wrecked by water.

The flooding risk this week extends all the way north into the Middle Atlantic States.

The base cause of this mess is a massive storm that's been almost stalled across the middle of the nation. It will only slowly move on, and give the nation a break from its destructive tentacles toward the weekend.

Here are some videos:

In a widely viewed scene, workers at a Tupulo television station hastily take cover as a tornado bears down: